Electrolytic cell.



W. H. DAVIS.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.14, 1 910.

1,0l5,546, Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

IVIIN SE5: [.VVEXTOR.

ms wins. 1.. mm IAsnlllc'ull. n cy U N ITED STATES WILLIAM H. DAVIS, or- BOULDER,- coLoRAno, ASSIGNOR or ONE-H TEAL, orvnounnnn, oor-onano.

nnnc'rnonY'rrc oELn.

To alZ whom it may concern:

siding at Boulder, in the county of Boulder '5 and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Electrolytic Cells, of which the following is a speciqfi'cation;

My invention relates to improvements 111 electrolytic cells of the type employed in the process of precipitating the metallic constituents of a chemical compound such as the gold bearing solution obtained in the treat "ment of auriferous ores by the cyan1d or chlorination process.- In the cells at'presen't employed for this purpose, the electrodes at which the ions resulting from the electrolytic decomposition of the electrolyte, are

evolved, are disposed substantially parallelv to the flow of the latter and inasmuch as the direction in which the ions move toward the respective electrodes .with which they must necessarily come in'co ntact to be reduced to the metallic state, is determined by the .re-

2 ,.sultant of a parallelogram of velocities, the components of which are the velocity of the flow of the electrolyte through-the cell and the absolute velocity of'the ionic ,migratmn,

which is very slow, itfollows that the time consumed in bringing all the cathions of the solution in intimate contact with the cathodes, or as the case may be the amons w1th the anodes, is considerable, and that the cell through which-the electrolyte flows from one end to the other, must, in consequence, be

a made'of great length. It is the object of my invention to PI'OVlClG an electrolytic cell in which the flow'ofthe elect-rolyteis an additive quantity to the ionic migration and in which the time re- 'quired to effect a clean separation of the metallic cofistituents of the electrolyte from the containing solution by bringing the ions into. intimate contact with the respective electrodes, the energy necessary for precipi- 'tatlon of'the same, and the storage capacity of the cell, are inconsequence, reduced to a considerable degree (abo t one tenth of that required in the method at present em- .50 ployed). 1? attain this object by the provision of permeable electrodes which are placed transversely to the flow of the electrolyte'either in immediate contact with or gin-close proximity to the interior surface of the cell so that every particle of the'electro- Specification 'of Letters Patent.

PATENT OFFICE.

- Patented Jan. 23,1912.

. Application filed December 14, 1810.. Serial No. 597,238.

lyte flowing from one end-of the cell to the other, is compelled to, pass through the 'foramina of the electrodes, and thus come either i direct contact with the metallic substan of the same, or in such close proximity thereto that the spaces to be-tra-versed by'the ions under the attractive influence of the electrode, are reduced to the minimum.

The process may be expedited still further,

by revolvingthe permeable electrodes at a suitable rate of speed, whereby their material substance is moved toward the ions pass ing through their interstices.

I 11 the process'ofelectrolytic deposition of gold or silver fromgacyanid solution obtained in the treatment of auriferous or argcntiferous ores, the cathodes are made of permeable material, while the anodes may be made solid and of any suitable form It will he understood, however, that if the metal in solution is of a character to precipitate to the anodes (as lead, for exa1nple) tl1e latter are made permeable and placedtrans versefiy to the flow of the electrolyte, for the preci itatio-n of the electro-positive elements of the solution, while the cathodes may be solid and of any desired form or, to obtain a better and more uniform distribution of the electric current, both the cathodes and the transversely to the flow of the electrolyte.

An embodiment of my invention is ALF, 'ro GEORGE w.

shown in the accompanying drawings in the various views of whichlike ,parts are similarly designatedoand in which Figure 1, represents a longitudinal sec tionthrough-a cell of my improved construction. Fig. 2, "-a transverse section taken along the line 2 2, Fig. 1, and'Fig. 3, a similar section of a cell'in which the permeable electrodes are stationary.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, '2'

designates a tank of rectangular cross section into one, end of which the" electrolyte is introduced by means of a launder 3, while it is discharged at the opposite end thereof by the use of an overflow and a therewith connected downwardly directed conduit 4. a

The anodes, indicated-by the numeral 5, are composed of" a plurality of narrow plates which are suspended in series'from' beams 6 placed transversely upon the longitudinal edges of the tank.

The reference characters 7 designate the"! 10 perineabl 'ielct use, in this instance the cathodes, whichbeing circular in form, are

rigidly secured upon a shaft 8 which is 1'0 tatably sup'p orted inb'e'aringboxes 9, .-'lo'I1i-- 5 gitudinally with relation to the tank 2, and which carries a pulley for the usual purpose. Fillers 12 placed. within the tank below the respective permeable elec- *t'rodes' have theiriipper surfaces formed 10 concentrically and int close proximity to the peripheral edges of the same, whereby the SOlt1ti '(;)Il fiowingthrough the tank is com- -.,pelled;.to; ass through the said electrodes ,and lean; noft -fiow; iexteriorly of the same ex- 1 Q'cept through Ashe jnarrow space between 'its zk edge n therespective j. filzler,,necessary,;t tpermit its rotary-mo "meable electrodes -may be uitable substance, I prefmpjloy n ;.-lEl '-16l1 construction, wire 'hi h\,-q has been found to be well a apt d r epunp se- In the modified-form shown in Fig. '3 of l the} drawings;the permeable electrodes 13 I tation'ary pen the interior surface .h ch they are in contact, re, for obvlous reasons,

thin nd desire to; secure by Letters Pat- InHan electric ytic cell, a'rotary, per- ,.meable,= circular =..:electro de, placed transzz-versely *ll'OlffihGLlflGWfiOflihQ electrolyte, and a wfillersoecupyingfthe space between the interiorrsurface vofathelkcell and the peripheral 1 :edge .o-flthei electrode... I 1 m 2;=:I-1r.anelectrolytic. cell, a rotary shaft, and; at pluralitywof permeable electrodes -being securely fastenedtlow of the electrolyteaqw ture in presence of tw;o;witnesses mounted thereon, transv I i the electrolyte.

3. In an electrolytic cell, a perrnealole electrode havinga-rotarymovement'iii a 'plane 5 transverse to the flow of the electrolyte.

4:. In an electrolytic cell in which the electrolyte flows from one end to the "other,

an electrode having a movementi in the ,electrolyte in a direction transverse"to'tliefiow thereof.

5. In an electrolytic cell, a circular per- Ineable electrode having az--rotaryxmovement in a plane transverse to :thefiow; of theielectrolyte, the vinterior surface ofithesaid-cell, adjacent the said electrodeaconforming' with the periphery thereof. I :5? -6. In an electrolytic celha, permeable rele trode conforming to thelcrossrsectional,Jarea thereof, below the fluid level, andahaving" movement in a planetrausverseto th "'2 flow of the electrolyte. "11 t- 7 In an electrolytic cell,-permeable-selectrodes placed transversely;-,t -thenflewrof the electrolyte, and electrodeszin alternate arrangement with the" permeable 'ieleetrodcs and ,each comprising aai-pl'uralizt 0ff bers spaced in a planet-transverse 8. In an electrolytic-Q ell, an.;.fele ctrdde having a rotary movement 'n a;p].ane-transverse to the flow of the; electrolyts''w: e5;

9. In an electrolytic cell whichrthe electrolyte flows from oneiend-tb; the other, a

permeableelectrode hayingm .moveme'nt in the-said electrolyte, trensverselyt H In testimony whereofgl afiix my signaat" -WILLI Witnesses:

G. J ROLIIQANDET,"

E. M. KREMP I... 

